Emily ann stears



Patented May 2, |899.

- E. A. STEARS.

LADYS DRESS 0R SKIRT PROTECTOR.

(Application med ont. z, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES EMILY ANN STEARS, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

LADYS DRESS OR SKIRT PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,114, dated May 2, 1899.

Application filed October 20, 1897. Serial No. 655,873. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it Wtcty concern:

Be it known that l, EMILY ANN STEARs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New York, (Brooklym) county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented and made a new and useful Dress-Protector; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description and specil[ication of the same, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

I am aware that skirt-protectors have been made previous to my present invention, and I am aware that such previous constructions have failed to answer the demands of users on account of their inherent defects,\vhioh defects are avoided in my present invention.

My present invention relates to such an arrangement of an ou ter waterproof skirt, in appearance like an ordinary dress-skirt, open near the top and provided with the usual belt" and fastening to close it about the waist for support and an inner thin light skirt of ordinary material similarly constructed with opening, belt, tito., and subtended at its bottom by a broad or deep waterproof guard, which constitutes part of skirt C, the two skirts being joined together an available distance above their bottoms bya waterproof bellows-fold web or dress-receiver of U or V shape in such a manner that the skirts can be moved apart more or less' without altering the appearance of the exterior skirt or causing it to bulge outward. This is accomplished by the fullness of the bellows-fold web, which sustains the weight of the dress when inclosed between the two skirts and leaves the two skirts free to hang in a natural manner unrestrained by any weight which may be or is sustained by the bellows fold web. The lower portion of this bellows-fold web or dress-receiver is some distance above the loottoms of the outer and inner skirts, so that it does not become soiled.

My invention consists in certain features of construction to carry out the principles above described,which are fully set out hereinafter and claimed at the end of this specification.

In order that persons skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may understand,construct, and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it, referring to the drawings,in which- Figure lis a perspective View of my invention, broken away in part to show the inner skirt, the bellows-fold web, and the bottom guard in their proper relationship. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the yoke and its straps sometimes used to sustain the weight of the skirts in part upon the shoulders by means of attachments of any well-known character.

A is the lower portion of the figure of a female.

B is the outer skirt.

Z9 is the usual skirt-band.

C is the inner skirt. cis its supportingband.

D is the guard at bottom of inner skirt and constitutes a part thereof.

E is the U bellows-fold web or dress-receiver, which joins the two skirts together at suitable points above their bottoms.

F is the representation of the ordinary dress and skirts inclosed between the two skirts and sustained by thebellows-fold web E. (Shown in dotted lines.)

G is the yoke attached to the band of the outer skirt by the usual means when used to throw part of the weight upon the wearers shoulders.

In operation the inner skirt, made of some light material, is fastened by the bandor belt c-about the waist of the wearer and the outer waterproof skirt B is dropped down to permit the wearer to arrange her dress and skirts properly, and then the outer skirt is drawn up and fastened to her waist by the band or belt l), thus inclosing the dress and skirts within the space between the two skirts B and C. In consequenceof the fullness or length of the U-shaped bellows-fold web E the outer protecting-skirt B is permitted to be pushed outward to a sufficient degree to accommodate the inclosed dress and skirts and to hang e11- tirely unrestrained, so that in appearance it resembles the ordinary dress-skirt without bulging at any point. The inner skirt hangs naturally and, being made of light material, is iiexible and comfortable. The guard D at its bottom hangs freely about the feet and limbs of the wearer and, being of waterproof IOO material, shields the bellows-fold web E and the lower part of the outer skirt B from becoming soiled. The whole garment is constructed without straps, loops, or other appliances which would catch the foot of the wearer in getting into or out of cars and Vehicles and in ascending steps and aiords an eicient inclosing garment for protecting the users ordinary dress and garments from becoming soiled, wet, or injured in any manner, and at the same time it presents to the eye the appearance of an ordinary dress. Any suitable kind of trimming may be used and any upper wrap for the waist and shonlders of the user may be used with this my invention.

The object of constructingr the dress-shield so that it holds the inclosed dress skirts above the bottoms of the inclosing or outer skirts is to enable the wearer to walk without the necessity of lifting the skirts, as is always necessary in stormy weather when no such device as my invention provides is used.

Having now fully described my invention and the manner in which I have embodied it, what I claim as new and as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The herein-described ladys dress-protector, comprising an outer waterproof skirt, an inner independent skirt, of waterproof fabric at its lower extremity; means for fastening each skirt to the waist of the wearer; the two skirts being,r secured to each other throughout their circumference, at a distance above their lower edges by a bellows fold of waterproof fabric; the apex of the fold pointing downward, whereby the dress to be protected may rest within said bellows fold and be given freedom to expand or contract without deranging the outer face of the protector, as set forth.

EMILY ANN STEARS.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES W. Low, JAMES M. HICKS. 

